Dear Friends,

You’ll be happy to know that Natural Awakenings Gulf Coast contains no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives and no high fructose corn syrup. We use only the essential, whole ingredients worthy to deliver pure, fresh flavors month after month, year after year. Ha! Bet you thought you were reading a food label? Just thought I would try something a little different to win your attention…

In honor of Self-Empowerment month, I would like to pay homage to our entrepreneurs. The people you see in most of the pages to follow are entrepreneurs, God bless them! I looked up the definition: A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so. I would say this is an understatement.

Entrepreneurs are most certainly a different breed. They are wired unlike most people. Here are some of the ‘don’ts they experience: They don’t keep regular hours, nope, it’s different every day depending on demand. They sometimes don’t eat right, don’t take a break, don’t look up, don’t talk to others, they just “go.” Some of the do’s: They work hard, they make deals, they take risks, they bend the rules (not the rules that count, but the rules they set for themselves). They keep score on those around them who are helpful and those who are not and then they strike the ones who are not helpful from the list, because they need lots of help from trusted people. They do make endless lists on scraps of paper, on their phone, on the bathroom mirror, on a bulletin board for everyone to see, just about anywhere. 

Here is my favorite saying about lists:  Whether you are an entrepreneur or anyone else who works hard to take care of others or others’ businesses, I think it all boils down to this particular list. 

Make a list of things that make you happy. 

Make a list of things you do every day. 

Compare the lists. Adjust accordingly.

Ordinary, everyday, small successes make me happy. So, my list usually consists of things that will contribute to these small successes. Here’s my list:

1.  Thank God for each day anew.

2.  Make someone’s day better.

3.  Do things I can be proud of.

4.  Ask for help when I need it (especially through prayer).

Thank you for reading my letter, I hope I have made your day brighter and made you smile. Please support our local entrepreneurs. They work hard to deliver healthy, natural alternatives to all of us every day. I would love to hear your list of things that make you happy. Please post on our Facebook page, NaturalAwakeningsMag, or contact me directly at [email protected].

God bless and keep you,

Michelle Smith, Publisher